Water is personal

Neerdaels shared a message of tradition and responsibility at the conference while serving three varieties of locally sourced Mni (Dakota for water) at the Water Bar, a Minneapolis-based arts and ecology organization. This sentiment was echoed by keynote speaker Nancy Schuldt, water projects coordinator for the Fon du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She discussed the intersection of science and traditional values in navigating politically charged water issues like mining and sulfate standards for wild rice.

Communication matters

Are most Minnesotans aware of water issues in our state? Not yet, according to Amy Skoczlas Cole, managing director of The Water Main at American Public Media. During her presentation, “Communicating Science for Action,” Skoczlas Cole cited poll results that found only 15 percent of Minnesotans believe we have water problems here in Minnesota. She suggested the key to increasing public awareness and understanding is through narrative storytelling that emphasizes potential solutions – not just a steady stream of bad news.

The impact of communication on water outcomes is particularly great when it comes to the topic of agricultural runoff. Nearly half the research topics presented at the conference had an agricultural component, including a special session on the potential benefits and challenges of getting more perennial crops on the Minnesota landscape. Still, conservation practices on agricultural lands remain largely voluntary, which is why open communication that builds trust is so important in farm country.

Here in the Twin Cities metro, communication between residents and conservation professionals can pave the way for successful water-enhancing projects. Metro Blooms gave a conference presentation on their Blooming Alleys for Clean Water program, which has installed rain gardens, permeable pavement systems and native plantings in 22 alleys, capturing an estimated 4 million gallons of runoff and 4,000 pounds of sediment annually. In order to get neighborhood buy-in for the projects, Metro Blooms designated “alley captains” who helped spread the word through block parties and social gatherings.

Adaptation is essential

To a large extent, the Water Resources Conference is about what’s next. And with a changing climate and advances in technology, the field of water resource management could well be heading into uncharted territory. In terms of climate, we’re already seeing the effects of heavier rains, warmer winters and longer growing seasons in Minnesota. In order to adapt, communities and watershed districts will need to build resilient infrastructure and plan for environmental hazards like flooding and invasive species spread. Conference presenter Leslie Yetka from the Freshwater Society recently organized a series of multi-agency resiliency workshops in the Twin Cities area to help cities incorporate good science into their comprehensive plans.

Of course, what constitutes good science is a moving target. For example, traditional strategies to limit runoff can only take us so far in protecting water quality, and multiple conference presenters delved into the challenges of internal nutrient loading. To further complicate matters, some ponds and wetlands designed to capture excess phosphorous may actually be concentrating it and then feeding connected waterbodies an unhealthy diet of nutrient-rich water that causes algal blooms. Findings such as these emphasize the need for consistent water quality monitoring over time and a willingness to fine-tune best management practices along the way.

New research to identify the sources of pollutants and pathogens like E. coli is also causing us to re-examine the cumulative impacts of nearly everything that happens within a watershed– from excessive lawn watering to routine road construction.